Former NHL defenseman Mike Commodore has offered some advice to Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner.
Marner has been the subject of trade rumors all summer as he enters the final year of the six-year $65.41 million deal he signed with Toronto in 2019. Despite the speculation, Marner appears set to start the season with Toronto. Commodore suggests that Marner should play out the year and then leave in free agency, drawing a parallel to LeBron James leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat in pursuit of a championship. Similarly, Marner could leave his hometown Maple Leafs for another team.
“From the outside looking in, if I were Mitch Marner, and if I were the Leafs, I would think about the future. He’s going to want a raise, and we need to consider whether to pay another forward that much money or use the cap space to get other players, perhaps more Berube-type players,” Commodore told Bodog.
“If I were Mitch Marner, and I don’t know him personally, I might feel it’s time to leave Toronto. I’ve had a good run, but we didn’t win. I’m a good player, and maybe it’s time to take my talents elsewhere,” Commodore added.
Marner has a full no-movement clause, so he cannot be traded without his consent and could leave in free agency, similar to how James did in 2010.
Mitch Marner has expressed his desire to remain with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Despite advice from Mike Commodore suggesting Mitch Marner consider free agency, the forward has expressed a strong desire to remain with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Following the Maple Leafs’ playoff elimination by the Boston Bruins, Marner spoke to the media and emphasized his commitment to his hometown team.
“That’d be a goal. I’ve expressed my love for this place, this city. Obviously, I’ve grown up here. We’ll start thinking about that now and trying to figure something out… It means the world to me,” Marner stated on May 6.
He continued, reflecting on the fan support in Toronto: “We’re looked upon as kind of Gods here, to be honest, and something that you really appreciate. The love that you get here from this fan base and this attention is none like any other. You saw with the Raptors a couple of years ago, the love fans still have for a lot of those players. That’s the love you want.”
Marner’s comments underscore his desire to continue his career with the Maple Leafs despite ongoing speculation and external advice.
Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube has expressed his anticipation and enthusiasm about coaching Mitch Marner.
Amid the trade rumors surrounding Mitch Marner, newly appointed Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube expressed his enthusiasm about coaching the talented winger.
“He’s a character guy, a great person,” Berube said to the media on June 29 after the draft. “I’m looking forward to coaching him.”
Berube, who signed a four-year deal to become the Maple Leafs’ head coach, previously coached the Philadelphia Flyers and the St. Louis Blues, winning a Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019.